Composite yarns and fabrics



Sept 10, 1957 H. MILLER COMPOSITE YARNS AND FABRICS 2 Sheets- Sheet 1Filed Dec. 21, 1954 III pt 10, 1951 H. MILLER 2,805 4 5 COMPOSITE YARNSAND FABRICS Filed Dec. 21, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 15/7 7 I8 60\ 61 6/ gm@Y 4* L J 3 W J United States. Patent COMPOSITE YARNS AND FABRICS HughMiller, Meadville, Pa., assignor to American Viscose Corporation,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware The present inventionrelates to novel type composite artificial yarns and to fabrics producedtherefrom. In particular, the invention relates to variegated artificialyarns and to fabrics produced therefrom.

In the past years many types of composite yarns have been introduced onthe market. One type of composite yarn consists of two separate yarns ofdifferent composition which have been twisted or plied together to forma unitary yarn. Composite artificial yarns have also been perfectedwherein one portion of the extruded yarn consists of one type ofcomposition while the remaining portion consists of a different typecomposition. Such composite pattern, with respect to the artificialyarns, follows a uniform pattern throughout the yarn length, forinstance, the entire one half of the yarn will consist of filaments ofone material while the entire other half of the yarn consists offilaments of another material. There is no intermingling of thedifferent materials from which the composite yarn is formed.

It is therefore one object of my invention to provide a novel typecomposite artificial yarn.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel type fabric formedof the novel composite yarns.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel type compositeartificial yarn consisting of filaments of composite structure.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a novel typecomposite artificial yarn consisting of filaments of composite structurewhich filaments have a haphazard or non-uniform composite patternlengthwise thereof.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a yarn having auniformly variegated surface pattern and composed of filaments each ofwhich contains uniformly colored sections, clear sections, and sectionswhich are both clear and colored. These sections are of various lengthsand are alternately spaced in random pattern lengthwise of thefilaments.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become more apparentfrom a study of the following description and the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a representation of a composite yarn of the presentinvention;

Figure 2 is a representation of three of the number of yarn filamentswhich make up the yarn of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a view of yarn cross sections taken at different pointsalong the length of the yarn of the present invention;

Figure 4 is atop fragmentary view of a fabric produced from the yarnshown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a perspective of a dual pump which is used in meteringblending the spinning solution from which the yarn of the presentinvention is produced;

Figure 6 is a view taken from the drive side of the dual P p;

'Figure 7 is an exploded view of the dual pump showing its componentparts;

Figure 8 is. a view of the assembly within the dual pump for combiningseparate liquid streams into one spinning solution from which thecomposite yarn is produced;

Figure 9 is an enlarged view of one of the labyrinths which may bepositioned within the dual pump for further intermixing and blending ofthe combined streams; and

Figure 10 is an enlarged view of another type labyrinth which may bepositioned within the dual pump assembly for still further intermixingand blending the combined streams.

Briefly, the composite yarn of the present invention comprises aplurality of composite filaments wherein each filament contains sectionsof difierent composition lengthwise of the filament. Each filamentcontains sections of one type of composition, sections of another typecomposition and sections formed of a combination of both types ofcompositions. The alternating pattern of the section of each filament isnot uniform but is of a hodgepodge pattern. The lengths of the sectionsalso vary. However, surprisingly enough, the yarn formed from thesefilaments has a uniformly variegated surface pattern.

The fabric of the present invention comprises a knitted or woven fabricmade of the composite yarns described above which fabric exhibits asubstantially uniform variegated effect.

The yarns of the present invention may be produced from yarn producingmaterial of various composition. Typical examples of such yarns are theregenerated cellulose yarns as produced either by the wet ordry-spinning process. which has a color pattern of alternating blue andwhite areas and which has been formed by the dry-spinning process willbe described for purposes of illustration. As seen in Figure 1, theacetate variegated yarn 1% has an exterior appearance of a substantiallyuniform pattern of alternating sections of colored areas 101, 101 andclear or bright areas 102, 102. These colored and bright areas appear asstreaks lengthwise of the yarn. The yarn is spun or extruded directlythrough a single spinneretteplate such as is used in spinning commercialbright acetate yarn. No further processing is required with respect toeffecting the variegated appearance of the yarn after it is collectedfrom the spinning or yarn producing machine.

Figure 2 shows three of the total number of filaments which make up theyarn of Figure 1. By filament, I mean the fine continuous thread whichissues from one small hole of the many small holes in an ordinaryspinnerette plate as mentioned above. partially colored, and non-coloredsections of the individual filaments 104, 105, and 106 do not follow auniform pattern, but on the contrary, assume a hodge-podge ornon-uniform pattern. The individual filaments 104,

105, and 106 may have solid uniformly colored portions 107, 107extending from a few inches up to twenty-five feet or more. These solidportions may then be follower by clear or bright portions 108, 1% ofvarious lengths. The clear filament portions 108, 108 may in turn befollowed by filament sections 109, 109 which are half clear and halfcolored longitudinally of the filament. This pattern described above isnot necessarily followed throughout the filament length as the partiallycoolred portions 109, 109 may follow the solid, uniformly coloredportions 107, 107 instead of the pattern mentioned above. In addition,as seen in Figure 2 the three filaments 104, 105, and 106, which wereextruded through the same spinnerette plate, when compared with oneanother, do not necessarily agree in pattern. For instance, theuniformly colored section 107 of filament 104 may lie adjacent thepartially colored section 109 of I filament which filament sections maythen in turn lie adjacenta clear or brightfilament section 108 of fila-0 ment 106.

Figure 3'shows cross sections of the yarn 100 (Figure l A variegatedartificial cellulose acetate yarn.

The fully colored,v

l)- takenat spaced-apart points along the length of the yarn. Whencomparing yarn cross .sectionA .withyarn cross section B it is seen thatthe pigmented filaments do not appear in the same location within thetwo cross sections. The cross section pattern changes -.along-; thelength of the yarn.

The amazing phenomenon which resultsfrom such a haphazard arrangement ofthe colored, partially colored, non-colored filament portions throughoutthe length of the yarn 100 is that the final yarn exhibitsatsubstantially uniform variegated pattern of altemating...colored andnon-colored sections around the yarn surface and lengthwise-of the yarn.

The uniformity of the variegated pattern ;with'respect to thealternating colored andnon-eolored portions-ofthe yarn is a statisticalphenomenon resulting from the random arrangement of clear andcolored-sections -.of the many adjacent individual filamentswhich makeup the yarn. The variegation pattern may be made finer or larger bycontrolling the twist incorporated in thefinal yarn. The higher thetwist incorporated in the -yarn. the finer or smaller will be thevariegation pattern.

Figure v4 shows .a knit fabric 110 composed et -the variegated yarn ofFigure 1. The fabric has a variegated pattern of alternating uniformlyspaced areasof colored and non-colored areas 111, 111 and 112, 112respectively whereby it exhibits an excellent salt and pepper effect.Woven fabrics may also be produced which exhibit the same effect.

Composite yarns of many types are possible in accordance with thepresent invention. For instance, a composite yarn of cellulose acetatefilaments may be produced wherein certain portions of the yarn arereceptive to one type of dye while other portions of the yarn are notreceptive to the same dye. Composite viscose type rayon may also beprodueed'by the wetspinm'ng process wherein the yarn contains'filamentseach of which is formed of portions spun from aged and young viscose.Many other type combination yarns are possible wherein the compositeyarn has the joint characteristics which are inherent with eachcomponent of the-composite yarn.

The composite yarns described above are produced from spinning solutionsformedfrom the combining and intermixing or blending of separatesolutions of different composition. These combined spinningsolutions areextruded through ordinary spinnerettes such as are used in producingcommercial bright cellulose acetate yarn. The separate streams ofdifierent composition are combined and intermixed or blended by a dualpump which will now be described. It should be pointed out that the dualpump can be used for combining and intermixing separate streams of manyand varied composition, however, for the purposes of the presentinvention the structure will be described with respect to the combiningand intermixing of a clear cellulose acetate yarn spinning solution anda pigmented cellulose acetate stream for the production of yarn having auniformly variegated surface pattern. The dual .pump is positioned inthe main spinning solution supply line adjacent the spinnerette in ayarn spinning machine.

The dual pump comprises essentially a compact two stage metering pumpassembly of the gear typein which its first stage is of low capacity formetering a secondary liquid stream such as .a pigment slurry into thesecond larger capacity stage together with a primary liquid stream withwhich the slurry is mingled but not completelyblendedi' The intermixedand blended combined streams discharged from the second stage isextruded through a "spinnerette to fabricate a yarn which gives novelcolor e ffects in a textile fabric. The driving gears of each stage areheyed to a common shaft extending through a plate, opposite sides ofwhich serve as the housing for each stage. This construction simplifiesthe pumpdesign andmaintains aiconstantrratioflat all times between theprimary and secondary stream. Since the stages .are operated .in series,metered mixing of the streams takes place between the stages. Varioussupplementary elements may be installed at this point to increase ordecrease the effective blending.

As seen in the drawings, Figure 5, the dual pump blender 1 comprisesan-inlet plate 2 through which a colored spinning solution such as apigmented cellulose acetate stream is introduced to the dualpumpassembly. The pigmented stream is introduced. into plateZ throughconduit 3. A meteringunit 4 comprising gears 5 and 6 and housed incenterplate 7 (see Figure 7) ispositioned adjacent the inner face of theinlet plate 2 for metering the pigmented-stream fed thereinto'fi'ominlet plate 2 into and through conduit 1-1 and inlet connection 12 whichleads into the top of a second plate 13 positioned opposite plate 2.Gear 6 of metering assembly 4 is slidingly keyed to a shaft 8 within thepump assembly which shaft abuts on-the inner face of inlet plate 2.A-clear yarnspinning'solution, such as a clear cellulose acetate stream,is alsointroduced into the'top portion of plate 13 through a drilledport 14 in the outer face of plate 13 (see Figure 6).

The pigmented stream and a clear stream-are initially combinedbythe-assembly shown in'Figure 8. As seen in Figure 8, the inletconnection 12, in the-top ofthe plate 13, through which the pigmentedstream flows into plate 13 terminates ina tube portion 15 of smallerdiameter-than the remaining portion of the connection'which tube portionextends downwardly for a distance within plate 13. -A-metalsleeve 16 ispositioned over-thetube 15- and welded or otherwiseseeured to the inletspout 12 whereby an annular channel isformed between theperipheryof-thetube 15 and the inner wall of the sleeve 16. A drilledport 17 inthewall of-s leeve 16 lines up with the inlet port 14- inplate --13 ;described above. Through these ports the clearstreamofspinning solution'flows to the channel described above toflowdownwardly around the metal tube 15. Asmallspring loaded conical valve18 is seated withinthemouth of the metal tube'15. As the pressure buildsup-within the pigmented stream in tube 15, the valve 18 is forced openand the pigmented stream passes from the-mouth of tube 15 to be combinedwith the clear stream of spinning solution flowing down around the mouthoftubelS. The combined streams-then pass through the drilled-intake port20 located in the lower portion of the inner face of'plate 1-3 (Figure;7).

Metering assembly 21'housed in centerplate 22 which is positionedadjacent the inner face of plate'13 and port ZG-comprisesgears 23 -arid24, the latter being slidingly" keyed to the shaft 8. Themeteringassembly 21 is of larger'capacity than the metering assembly 4and meters the combinedstreamsfedthereto-intoand through a 'dischargeplate 25 from whichthe combined streams are discharged through thedrilled hole 26 in the outerface portion of the plate 25. The meteringassembly 21,-in addition-to metering'the-combined streams, alsointermixes the streams to a certain degree as it bites off and squeezesportions of the combined streams during thepumping operation. Inletplate 13 is maintained in spaced apart relationship with discharge plate25 by spacing collar 27 positionedover pin 27. V se.mbly;4 adjacenttherewith are spaced from the discharge plate 25 by spacing plate '28.The Whole pump assembly is secured together by tie screws 29, 29. V

As mentioned above,- the shaft 8 within the 'dualpump assembly drivesboth gear assemblies '4 and 21 at-the same rate of speed. Therevolutions per minute of the meter ing gears of each assembly are alsothe same since the gears are of the sarnepitch diameter. The shaft '8,is fitted through gears 24 and 6, and through drilled holes 30, 30 i thplate 12 n 2. ,Th sha t s ,dr

by drive gear '31 (Figure 5) which is connected to the Y shaftfi at apoint externally of the pump assembly.. Shaft pins 40 and 41 (Figure 7)inserted within the drilled Inlet plate 2 and the metering asholes 4?.and 43 of shaft 8 slidingly lock gears 6 and 24 of metering assemblies 4and 21 to the shaft 8 through suitable keyways fashioned in the walls ofthe gear bores.

Since the gears 23 and 24 of metering assembly 21 are of greater widththan the gears 5 and 6 of assembly 4, the assembly 21, is, of course,capable of metering and pumping a greater volume of liquid than theassembly 4. Both assemblies, of course, continuously meter definiteamounts by volume of liquid. A portion of the total amount of thecombined streams drawn by assembly 21 consists of a definite andconstant amount of a colored spinning solution such as apigmentedacetate stream which is continuously being metered by the smallerassembly 4. The balance of the combined streams as demanded and drawn bythe larger pump assembly 21 will, therefore, necessarily consist of adefinite and constant amount of the clear stream of spinning solution.With such an arrangement it is seen that the ratio of the amounts of theclear stream to the colored stream in the combined streams will alwaysbe constant. To adjust or change this ratio, gears 5 and 6 of gearassembly 4 may be replaced with gears of greater or lesser width wherebythe assembly 4 will meter more or less pigmented acetate as desired.

it" it is desired to intermix or blend the combined streams to a furtherdegree, a labyrinth cylinder 6!) (Figure 9) may be inserted within theplate 13 at a point immediately below the stream combining assembly ofFigure 8. The upper end of the labyrinth 60 supports the conical valve13 while a small spring 61 presses the labyrinth 6% into contact withthe valve. The labyrinth so has right and left hand threads 62, 62 and63, 63 respectively which form intercommunicating channels 64, 64wherein the clear and pigmented streams are blended or intermixed asthey pass theret'nrough. The intermixed streams then pass through port2%) of plate 13 into the metering assembly 21.

If more complete or a finer degree of intermixing is desired, a secondlabyringth 76 (Figure 10) of different design than the labyrinth 63 maybe inserted within the discharge port 26 of plate to further mix orblend the already blended streams as they are discharged from themetering assembly 1. The labyrinth 7 has a series of rings 71, 71 whichhave notches '72, '72 therein through which the combined streams arefurther mixed and blended as they are forced therethrough.

The physical appearance of the intermixed streams being discharged fromthe dual pump assembly is that of stone marble. Pigment streaks occur inrandom fashion throughout the mass of spinning solution. The spinningsolution of marble pattern is nerette by which the filaments are formedwhich make up the final composite yarn.

To review the operation, the pigmented stream is introduced into theinlet plate 2, through metering unit 4, through conduit 11, and into theplate 13 wherein, as described above, the pigmented stream is combinedwith the clear stream entering plate 13 through port 14. The combinedstreams then pass from plate 13 by way of port 29 into the inlet side ofmetering assembly 21 which also mixes as it meters the combined streamsupwardly through plate 25 and out through discharge port 26. If desired,the streams may be further blended to a controlled degree with the useof one or both of the labyrinths fed directly to the spinand dependingupon the degree of intermixing desired.

it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the present invention as definedin the appended claims.

i claim:

1. A continuous composite artifical yarn having a uniformly variegatedsurface pattern and comprising a plurality of filaments wherein eachfilament comprises alternating longitudinal sections of differentcomposition, said alternating sections comprising sections of onecomposition entirely, sections of a difierent composition entirely andsections of the two compositions combined, said filament sections beingnon-uniform in their alternation pattern and length whereby a crosssection of the yarn taken at any one point along the yarn length willshow a random disposition of the two compositions throughout the crosssection.

2. A continuous composite artifical yarn according to claim 1 whereinthe difierent compositions of the filament sections comprise difierentregenerated cellulose acetate compositions.

3. A continuous composite artifical yarn according to claim 1 whereinthe different compositions of the filament sections comprise difierentregenerated cellulose compositions of the viscose rayon type.

4. A composite continuous artificial yarn having a uniformly variegatedsurface pattern and comprising a plurality of composite filamentswherein each filament consists of alternating longitudinal sections ofone colored material entirely, sections of another colored materialentirely and sections of the colored materials in combined form, saidsections being non-uniform in their alternan'on pattern and lengthwhereby a cross section of the yarn taken at any point along the yarnwill show a random disposition of the difierent colored materialsthroughout the cross section.

5. A continuous composite variegated artifical yarn according to claim 4wherein the different colored materials comprise clear cellulose acetateand colored cellulose acetate.

6. A continuous composite variegated artifical yarn according to claim 5wherein the colored acetate material comprises cellulose acetatematerial having a blue pigment matter incorporated therein.

7. A fabric which exhibits a uniform salt and pepper surface efiectcomprising continuous variegated artifical yarns formed of two difierentcolored materials wherein each filament in the yarn each consists ofalternating longitudinal sections of one colored material entirely,sections of the other colored material entirely'and sections of thecolored materials in combined form, said sections being non-uniform intheir alternation pattern and length whereby a cross section of the yarntaken at any point along the yarn length will show a random dispositionof the different colored materials throughout the cross section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,614,288 Chavannes Oct. 21, 1952

